


it's three in the morning

by Kneekeyta



Category: My Mad Fat Diary
Genre: Accident, F/M, remembering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-02 03:16:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21154709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kneekeyta/pseuds/Kneekeyta
Summary: three in the morning is a good time to remember the forgotten.





	1. Chapter 1

He was there when she came in for her shift at ten. It was normal for her now, that when she walked in to look at the booth in the far corner. He’d sat in the same spot for the past three weeks. Only ever ordering tea, he must have drank his weight in it by now.

When the rush dies down a little after midnight she goes around refilling all the sugar containers at each table. She’ll always refill his first.

“Hey, can I?” she asks, hand ready to reach for the container.

He nods his head, barely looking at her. She tries sometimes to catch his eye, to at least offer him a small smile. Some nights it’s seems he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. It’s so prevalent she can almost feel it along with him. If one thing is for sure, it’s that she definitely can understand what the weight of the world feels like. Even if it’s under different circumstances.

After refilling the container she places it on the table top, she sees he only has a drop of tea in his cup so she says, “I’ll get you another.”

He just sort of nods not making any eye contact with her. She does keep an eye on him as she is fixing his tea, he likes the bag in as it turns out. She didn’t know that before, he hadn’t told her, well, he never said much of anything to her really, however one of the other waitresses let her know. After, she wondered why he never mentioned during the few times she’d served him. It seems like such a passing comment, an easy mistake to rectify.

Walking his tea over she places it in front of him and he cups it with both of his hands, “Thank you.” he replies, almost a whisper. 

A small smile pulls at her lips, “You’re welcome.” She says softly.

He carefully picks up the green mug and right before he takes a sip, she says, “Let me know if you want another, yeah?”

After he nods she walks away to let him enjoy his tea in peace. She walks around picking up the sugar containers, loading them onto a tray to refill them all in one go. She sits a table in the center that allows her to keep an eye on the mysterious man in the corner.

There isn’t much movement from him and he spends an awful lot of time staring into his mug. Hardly lifting his head up further then to maybe look at the empty seating across from him. very seldom he will scribble on a few of the napkins, no sense doodles and lots of music notes, which makes her wonder if he might be into music, but no lyrics or any words for that matter accompany the doodles.

It’s not that she wonders about the patrons that often, but there was something about him that has her wanting to talk to him. Wanting to know more about him, he was a complete enigma and she almost felt desperate know him.

By the time she placed the last of the sugar containers back on its table, he was gone. Which was another strange fact, she never saw when he left. She’d just turn around for second and by the time she turned back he had slipped out. Almost like magic, but she knew he was real, he always left a few notes and the napkins he would sometimes scribble on.

This time when she picked up the napkin it had, along with some doodles, a word, the first he’d ever left, it simply read, ‘H-I’

A small smile formed on her lips and she felt a flutter in stomach, she wasn’t exactly sure if this was meant for her, but she’d like to think it is. So, she folds it up and stuffs it in her pocket before clearing the table.

–

The next night he’s there. Of course he’s there. And now seeing him she feels a little nervous. Her stomach is doing little flips as she stands behind the main counter. It would be easier to steal glances at him if people actually sat at the bar seating but only when it’s busy do people bother. She ready’s a cup of tea for him but before she even has the chance to pick it up a group of people pile in and start moving tables together. What else is there to expect from a seat yourself establishment.

“Oh, dear. Looks like a rowdy bunch tonight.” Trish says, from behind, Rae.

“Sure does,” Rae sighs. This was one of the reasons she hated working Friday nights. The drunk crowd was never as funny as they thought they were.

“Can you, dear?” Trish asks.

“Yeah, of course.” Rae replies, to the older woman.

Trish takes the mug of tea to deliver to Mr. Enigma in the corner, while she grabs a stack of menus to the 8 rowdy people laughing a little too loudly. She plasters on a fake smile walking over to the group.

“Hi, I’m Rae, I’ll be your waitress this evening!” She greets cheerfully.

–

Nearly two and a half hours later she is cleaning the mess left by the ‘B Boys’ which is what she named the table. Frequenting their table with refill after refill, and with several orders she overheard most of their names, Brad, Brian, Bryan ‘with a Y’ Brandon, Brody…

It was like they started up a group or something, for guys with ‘B’ names to get together. Probably just a coincidence really.

Having cleared the table of everything she starts to wipe it down, making her way to the far end she moves one of the chairs for better access to the ketchup splattered in the center, when she steps her foot slides forward, it’s like slow motion, she can feel her arms going up and she’s falling backwards, she knows she’s going to land, and land hard so she scrunches her eyes shut bracing herself. When she hits she expected the impact to be harder and for the breath to be knocked out of her, but it wasn’t, and she’s not on the floor.

Blinking her eyes open she sees arms around her, “Oh,” she says quickly and tries to stand up right.

The person helps her and when she turns to face her savior, her breath is knocked out of her.

“Alright?” He asks.

All she can do is nod, her mouth slightly open.

He nods at her before he ducks his head and he turns to leave. She’s stuck standing in place a few moments. He’s beautiful. From his smattering of freckles to his thick eyebrows, but it was his warm brown eyes that really, captured her. Looking at him almost felt familiar, she felt warmth staring into his eyes; she wishes he hadn’t left before she could say her thanks.

When she is finally able to compose herself she finishes cleaning the table and when she goes to clean where Mr. Enigma was sitting she finds another napkin, several doodles and a single word, ‘Z-O-O’ she let out a little laugh, it was so accurate.

–

Two nights later she comes into work ready to get back to it after her weekend off. It was nice, she didn’t do much of anything. Well, nothing other than have this itchy feeling to go the diner, just to see.

When she walks in for her shift her eyes drift to the far corner, and he’s there. Of course he’s there. She tries to stop the smile from forming on her lips as she makes her way to the back. When she’s by herself she allows herself to smile hard and enjoy the fluttering in her stomach. These feelings are a bit foreign to her but almost familiar at the same time. She couldn’t explain it if she tried, she knows that much for sure.

“Hey, Rae.” Trish says, in passing.

“Hiya,” Rae replies, a little too happily.

“What’s got you excited tonight?” Trish asks with a wry smile.

“Nothing. Just, if I have to be here might as well try to make the best of it right?” she offers, and she knows it’s a failed attempt.

“Yeah, sure.” Trish says, with a knowing smile.

“Well, better get to work.” Rae says, clapping her hands together softly.

“Get the tea for the guy in the corner for me, yeah?”

“Yeah, alright,”

“Thanks, love. I’m sure he’s aching for a cuppa after two days.” Trish says casually making her way back towards the front.

“Two…days?” Rae wonders aloud to herself.

–

It’s rare that anyone ever uses the jukebox, and by rare, meaning no one ever uses it, mostly it’s there for decoration. And there’s normally music flowing through soft and low just so there is some background noise. But tonight a group of teenagers decided to fiddle with it. They figured it out pretty quickly, though, and when the song they chose blares through, Rae feels a sudden familiarity and can’t help but softly smile. It’s been years since she heard that song. And it almost makes her want to laugh because apparently the decks must have come with it because it doesn’t exactly fit the feel of the diner’s atmosphere.

Soft teal green and pink colors, and white tiled walls, doesn’t exactly scream an atmosphere for Sabotage to be playing, but atlas.

She can’t help the twinge of happy feelings she’s getting from these songs playing, it takes her back in time and it feels too nice to relish a little.

She even spied mystery guy in the corner booth nodding his head along to a few of the songs, which makes her smile a little harder.

When she goes to clear his table after he’s left, she finds his napkin, with a few little doodles and the word ‘T-U-N-E’

She tucks it away along with a blushing smile.

–

It’s a slow night and she’s not exactly thrilled to be refilling the sugar containers tonight. She kind of just wants to…go. But she still has a few hours left of her shift. She feels restless, antsy like she can’t sit still but also wants to sleep and she’s not exactly sure why she’s experiencing this feeling.

“Alright, hon?” Trish asks.

“Yep.” Rae replies, she knows she’s being short with her for no reason.

“It’s alright, I’m sure he’ll be here tomorrow.” Trish says with a sympathetic smile.

Rae’s mouth drops open a little and she turns to look at the far booth finding it empty—still. She can feel the squeeze Trish gives her shoulder while walking away, and well, is an empty booth really why she’s feeling weird?

–

She takes her break at 2:30 and decides to fix herself some tea. Instead of taking it in the back she goes out into the dining area. It’s not a surprise she finds herself in the far corner booth. When she goes to take a sip of her tea she laughs sadly at herself before taking the tea bag out.

Slouching against the table, resting her chin lazily on one hand, she slowly stirs a spoon in what’s left of her tea with the other. She doesn’t think about much during her break, she’s is a little agitated by one of the lights that keep flickering. But that’s neither here nor there. It’s just a reason for her to feel how she’s feeling, something small to justify her.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, she notes her break is over in one minute. She doesn’t exactly have the energy to move so she figures clocking in one or two minutes late won’t be too bad.

She takes a sip of her tea, one more and she’s done with it. Stretching a little she then runs her hands over her face, she could really use her bed right now she thinks.

Cupping her mug of tea in her hand she sighs, she swirls the last bit around some, and then out of nowhere it seems, there a whoosh of air and a body dropping into the opposite side of the both and they release a tired sigh.

“It’s three in the morning.” she says, nonchalantly, slightly bordering accusingly.

“Long night,” he mumbles.

Rae nods slowly still gazing into her tea cup, “Yeah,” she says, before swallowing that last bit of her tea.

She doesn’t directly look at him when she stands to leave but she can see him out of her peripheral and it soothes her a little.

Trish passes by her with a small smile and his tea in hand. Rae can’t help but smile when she’s behind the counter. She pulls out a slice of cake from the glass casing and walks it over to him. She slides it in front of him and says, “Long night.” But in a more cheerful tone.

“Thanks, Rae.” He says softly.

She gasps a little because he knows her name but then she realizes she has her nametag on so it’s not all that surprising.

“No problem.”

–

It’s basically every night after that. It feels too normal for her to question so she doesn’t. It’s easy and almost familiar. She gets her tea and slides into his booth during her break. Sometimes they talk other times they just share companionable silence.

–

It’s dreadfully slow, meaning it’s just him in the diner. So with her tray of near empty sugar containers she goes to his booth and slides in.

“Make yourself useful,” she teases him as she starts to refill a container.

It earns a chuckle out of him before he grabs a near empty container to scoop more sugar into.

“I don’t much care for sugar in my tea,” he says.

“Depends on my mood,” she shrugs.

–

“I feel like you owe me my 20p back.”

“What? Why?” she says as she slides his tea in front of him.

“Poor choice in tune,” he smirks.

She rolls her eyes and walks away mumbling “Whatever.”

He’d been back and forth to the juke box and when she went to check if he wanted a tea, he hands her 20p with raised eyebrows to let her choose.

Later after he’s left and she’s clearing his table she finds a napkin, little doodles accompanied by one word, ‘M-A-I-N-S-T-R-E-A-M’

She can’t help but laugh as she shoves it into the pocket of her apron.

–

She’s sitting in the corner booth, her break is almost over, she has a half a cup of tea left, and she’s feeling a little forlorn. It’s not like she expected him to tell her he’d not be coming in, it’s just that she’s very used to this unspoken routine they’ve had going on for the past couple of weeks.

But before she can think any further he’s stumbling into the booth.

“You’re a little late.” She says flatly.

“Sorry sorry, rough night,”

“It’s three in the morning. Why didn’t you just go home?” she asks, finally looking up at him.

They hold each other’s gaze a few moments, he looks tired, his eyes are dark and shiny and maybe a little hurt by her comment. But also like this is where he wants to be. She’s not sure what that would even mean if it’s true.

“Tea?” she asks blinking back into reality.

“Yeah.”

–

She’s been rubbing her arm off and on all day, the weather always makes it act up. The cold seeps into her bones leaving a dull ache.

“That’s a decent scar.” He says after putting his tea cup down.

“Yeah,” she says then slides her sleeves back down.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to point it out or anything.”

“Nah, its fine,” she shrugs.

“Can I ask what happened?”

“Maybe another time.” She says before getting back to work.

She doesn’t like to talk about it, but its apart of her, maybe one day though.

–

“So, what do you do that has you coming in so late?” she asks one night, in the middle of the week.

“Nothing much right now, but I do some stuff over at the radio station.”

“Ah, that explains it then.” She smiles softly.

“Yeah,”

“Don’t play any crap FM, ya?”

He huffs a laugh, “No, definitely not.”

She leaves him be after that to tend to the few people that walked in. Later after he’s left she finds a napkin, it has a doodle of a mixed tape, the label reading, No Crap FM.

\--

“Arm still botherin’ you?”

“Yeah, it’s the weather.”

“You broke it then?”

“Uh huh, yep,”

“That’ll do it then.”

“Can always tell when the weather is gonna shift cos of it,” she laughs lightly.

“Was it a pretty bad then?” he asks softly.

She sighs, “Car accident a couple years back. Broke my arm some cuts and bruises, banged my head pretty badly, concussion and all.” She shrugs. Her chest tightens a little, she doesn’t like to think about it much, but it’s out there now.

“Well, you’re okay now, yeah?”

“Yeah, I’m better.” She says, not fully believing what she is telling him.

“You’re a strong one,” he says.

She stares him a little longer, and he shrugs picking up his tea to take a sip.

–

She comes in late one night on her night off. She was bored at home and wide awake. She didn’t want to mess up her internal clock by going to sleep. So she strolled into have a nice cuppa.

Sliding into the far corner booth that always happens to be empty unless he’s sitting there, she realizes that it’s been several weeks of talking to this guy that was once a complete mystery to her. And now she knows a little more about him. Not much but more.

She sips her tea thinking back on their previous conversations, and it’s so interesting how they began. They talked like it was natural, like they’d been friends for years, she never felt like she said too much or too little. She never really felt that instant connection with anyone before, at least that she can remember.

She likes him, she knows that much. As a friend and maybe as a little more.

–

A few nights later she’s on her break, he hadn’t come in and she wishes she didn’t feel so disappointed but she does. She sips slowly on her tea, her arm still slightly achy from the poor weather.

“Where’s your friend tonight?” Trish asks when she walks up.

Rae shrugs, “Why would I know?”

“Cos you’ve been talkin’ to him every night he’s here.”

“That doesn’t mean anythin’.”

“Whatever you say, love,”

Rae rolls her eyes, and sinks back into the booth.

“Say, what’s his name anyway, I never caught it.” Trish mentions.

Dumbstruck Rae looks away from Trish, because she has no fucking clue what his name is.

–

She doesn’t see him for a few nights and when he finally does come in he’s looking worse for the wear. She brings him his cup of tea and gives him a small smile, he returns it with a tight smile and she leaves him be for a bit.

After the rush calms down she slides into the booth with the tray of sugar containers and starts to refill them. It only takes a few minutes before he starts helping.

“Work sucks lately.” He says.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, but I’m happy I made the move,”

She looks up at him and he’s staring so intently at her that her heart speeds up. A rush of warmth rushes through her as his eyes pierce hers and it becomes so intense that she has to look away. 

Clearing her throat she asks, “Where-where uh, did you move from?”

“Leeds,” he responds easily.

–

Its pouring down rain, and that brings in a crowd of people, they stay until the rain simmers down, which means they are busier than usual.

By the time the last few people leave it’s already twenty minutes past her break time. She slides into the booth and sighs. She feels relaxed finally getting to sit after the last couple of hours. But then she whines to herself because she forgot to make herself some tea which she could really use right now.

A body plops into the vinyl seat across from her and when she opens her eyes, she sees he is running a hand through his wet hair, shaking out his fringe. He’s sopping wet.

“You look as rough as I feel,” she teases lazily.

“Rough night?” they ask in unison.

They share a small laugh, then Rae says, “Lots of people waiting out the rain.”

He nods understanding.

“Late night at the station?” she asks.

“Yeah,” he mumbles.

“Hey, you okay?” she asks, softly while sitting up straighter.

“Yeah, no…well, just got into it with someone.”

“Ah, I see.” She pauses then adds, “I’m sure it’ll all work out.”

He looks up at her with a soft face, “You think?”

She’s hesitant at first but pushes through and reaches for his hand lying limp on that table top, “I’m sure,” she says squeezing his hand lightly.

“Thanks,” he says squeezing her hand back.

“I’ll get us a cup of tea, yeah?” she smiles tenderly.

“I dunno if I’m much in the mood for tea,” he says.

“It’ll make you feel better,” she says thumbing over his hand.

“How do you know?” he asks almost sounding desperate.

She smiles and huffs a little laugh, “I think, I read it or maybe I heard it somewhere…” she pauses for a moment thinking.

“I think I definitely heard it,” she continues, “That tea—“

“Makes everything alright?” he responds.

Her stomach drops in that moments her body feeling numb, his eyes are searching her face, wide and wet as he tries to get her to respond to his squeezing of her hand.

But it feels like she’s stopped breathing, like she’s in a dream, thoughts swirling around in her head, voices and memories flooding back. Memories of the only summer they shared together, the feeling of how much she loves him taking over. Tears are streaming down her face she knows that much, it feels like there’s a lump in her throat, her chest is constricting, and now focusing back on his tear stained face all she can manage to get out it is one single word,

“Finn.”

His smile pulls to the right as he says, “Hiya girl.”

–

The End!


	2. backstory and small part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> me rambling about a backstory and small part 2 tacked on at the end.

Backstory!

Okay, so basically everything that happened in season one and then up until the Rinn breakup in S2 happened. In this fic, however, Rinn didn’t break up. Rae tries to break up with him that night she goes to return his jacket but she doesn’t get the chance to break up with him. Finn calms her down and tells her that he’s going to Leeds with his Dad for the weekend and for her to take this time to think things over because he really doesn’t want to break up.

So while he is gone, Rae is involved in a car accident.

He comes back to find she’s been coma induced, and when she does wake up she’s lost the past six months from her memory.

So, Finn stays and does what he can but she’s struggling to recover from the accident, (she doesn’t go back into the hospital but when she is able resumes her appointments with Kester) and she gets too overwhelmed, with everyone crowding her, that she gets a panic attacks, so not wanting to upset her anymore, Finn goes to Leeds because it’s too hard for him to stay. He does keep in contact with her mum getting weekly updates on Rae’s status.

Finn talks to some of the gang too and they speak about how they are worried about Rae and how she is struggling through her recovery still, physically and mentally. And how she hasn’t remembered any of them other than Chloe yet.

A year and a half goes by and he finally decides to go back to see her and hope that he won’t upset or confuse her. But during his weekly phone call Linda tells him, Rae, left town and no one knows where she is.

So he goes back to talk to Linda and try to form a plan to find Rae but then reads the note she left and decides to let her go.

Basically the note said, that she was tired of everyone treating her so delicately. That she could feel that they were not acting themselves around her and that she needed to get away to be herself and to find herself.

So, Finn having to move on with his life goes to school and then gets a job in Manchester and moves. Getting out of work late one night he heads to this all night diner and as fate would have it, he sees Rae is working there. So, he goes every night to have a cup of tea and stealthily observe her.

He hadn’t planned on making any sort of direct contact with her, but one night they happened to catch each other’s eye and he felt like he saw a flicker of familiarity. So, he started to leave small notes on his napkins after that. Not really say much or look at her too much in case it alarmed her. He wanted to just subtly remind her of the past. 

–

Okay so that was basically what happened up until the point of where the fic starts.

If any of you have any other questions please feel free to message me and I will try to give more details,

So for now enjoy this small part 2! xD

–

Four weeks later

“Talk about Déjà vu.”

Finn huffs a small laugh, “Fitting innit?” He smiles, shifting in his seat, “Being here? Like we’ve come full circle.”

“Yeah, and it is,” she ducks her head hiding her small smile.

He wants to reach out to her, to place his hand on top of hers to reassure her that everything is going to be okay. But he doesn’t want to startle her, they’ve only spoken a little in the past few weeks, a little about her recovery and finding a life in Manchester and such. She didn’t seem to want to talk too much about it, yet, so he figured it would come in time. He wouldn’t want to jeopardize anything by asking too many questions.

So, he moves his hands off of the table top in favor of letting them settle onto his lap.

“Listen, Rae…” he starts, she hasn’t looked up at him yet and she hasn’t been keeping eye contact with him much and he doesn’t want her to feel awkward. He needs to remind her that they are still just, Finn and Rae. Best mates.

“Thank you for meeting me.”

She looks up at him now, “I…of course, after-after I remembered..I just-it was a lot, but I’m doing better now, I-uh talked to my mum and to Kester if you can believe it,” she chuckles with a slight shake of her head.

“I’m doing good, even after everything,”

He lets out a small breath because he was worried she would have a small set back after remembering.

“I’m happy, that you’re settled then-with like everything happening.”

“Yeah, I-I am…just I do have questions for you,” she says shyly before looking away quickly.

“I’m sure you have several and I will answer all of them, but—can I just say a few things first, please?”

She nods giving him the go-ahead, and with a deep breath he starts, “I just—I shouldn’t have left, that night you tried to break up with me or even two months after your accident. Rae, I never felt about anyone the way I feel about you, I just thought some space would help you think more clearly. I was set on not going but then when you came over I thought two days away might change your mind.”

He pauses, focused on her face, she’s not giving anything away and he just so desperately wants to look at her forever because he’s missed out on seeing her for too many years already.

“And then your accident,” he begins once more, “I was in shock and just everything happened so fast, and I tried, we all tried, to stir your memory a little at a time, but I couldn’t put you through that, you looked so uncomfortable, and just were upset all the time. I couldn’t be part of that, I didn’t want to hurt your anymore than you already were. So…I left.” He wipes away at his eyes because tears are forming. The hurt was excruciating back then and it’s no better reliving it now even with Rae sitting in front of him.

“Finn,” she says quietly.

He looks at her and she gives him a small sad smile and then he sees her hand is extended and so he carefully he slides his hand into hers and he wants to cry and tell her he loves her so much and how he never thought this day would ever come, but he doesn’t, he doesn’t because he just found her again and doesn’t want to scare her off. 

So he squeezes her hand softly and she squeezes back, reassuring him it’s all okay.

He lets out a sigh and carries on, “I talked to your mum every week to get updates, and every week I hoped-god-I prayed, you’d get better, even if you didn’t remember that you would at least not get panic attacks,

“And then one day I call and she said you left. That–fuck-that killed me I went back as soon as I could ready to look for you, but your note, I just-I had to stop, had to let you go. So I went back to Leeds went to school, hoping you were well wherever you were and then, well, now I’m here.” he smiles small, “still can hardly believe you are too.”

“And the notes,” she says with a little smirk.

He huffs a small laugh, “Yeah, um, you probably don’t remember this but one night I came in and we happened to look at each other and I felt a glimmer of hope, it looked like you recognized me maybe, so I thought what would be the harm, y’know?”

“I remember,” she smiles, “But it wasn’t because I remembered you then. It was that you were a mystery before, only coming in to order tea and sit for hours. You’re cute and intrigued me.”

“Had a bit of a crush on me did you?” he teases and then realizes he probably shouldn’t have said that but before he can back track she says, “I always did,” a faint blush filling her cheeks.

He squeezes her hand and she smiles bashfully.

A moment passes and she is thinking, he could always tell, it looks like she’s not sure how to phrase what she wants to say.

“Finn—I just…I want to say that, I’m happy for you. That you went to school and moved and found an amazing job. I would have never ever wanted you to wait around—and that’s, I don’t mean to sound presumptuous, I just want you to know, I’m happy for you.”

He nodded understanding, “The note you left helped with that you know,” he wouldn’t admit it yet, but it killed him to try and let her go. But he did his best moving forward.

“Yeah, I just…I couldn’t be here anymore, I felt suffocated. Everywhere I went people would give me sympathizing looks, hell even Big G asked if was okay once,” she chuckled.

“I just needed to be somewhere that I could move on,”

“I understand that, Rae, and as long as you’re happy that’s all that matters.”

“I am happy.”

“Good.” He says with a soft squeeze to her hand, “You had questions you said”

“You answered most of them, I’ll let you know if anything else comes up.”

“Okay, then.” He smiled with a short nod.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

They stand up and like they are magnets immediately connect. They hug so tightly Finn is positive neither of them are breathing but it doesn’t matter. Because he’s hugging her for the first time in 4 years.

“I missed you,” he mumbles into her neck.

“I missed you, too.” She replies sounding a little choked up.

After another moment they pull apart and head out of the familiar green doors of the pub and into the night.

“So, I’m staying a little longer with my mum. When are you heading back?” she asks.

“Day after tomorrow,” he replies because he has work on Monday.

“What are you up to tomorrow?”

“Not much, probably just packing my stuff for the train ride home,” he shrugs.

She nods with a small smile, “Do you think it’s funny how we ran into each other here?”

He can’t help but smile, it was definitely a surprise that they both ended up back home and then ran into each other, almost literally.

“No, I don’t think so. I think—I think we’ll always find each other.” It sounds cliché and he knows that but, it’s the truest thing he’s said in a long time, and it’s something he’s always quietly believed. 

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She smiles wide.

“Goodnight, Rae,” he says, in lieu of saying something far too soon to be saying.

She takes a step forward, and says, “Hey, do you still like to bowl?”

He tries his best to not show so many teeth as he smiles.

–

On the train ride home he can’t help but smile the entire way because she hadn’t said it was a date, but it totally was.

-

The End!


End file.
